Shinjitsu No Uta, Song Of Truth
by Akanekurochi
Summary: Mina was a regular girl, a friend of Kagome's, until one day her foster family is attacked and killed by a demon. What is this power of hers that the demon seeks? And why does the sight of the dog eared boy seem to tug at her memories?
1. Death Of A Great Demon

**So who can guess what I've been watching? ;; I'm sorry for starting another story, but I could NOT get this idea out of my head!**

**Also, cookies to anyone who gets what game I've added elements from! :D Please enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Prologue:<strong>

**Death Of A Great Demon  
><strong>

**"The crimson-stained sun has illuminated everything;  
><strong>**now and the past is what i have imagined within this twilight  
><strong>**more than my own hands can accomplish?"  
><strong>

Crimson flames.

Her time left grew short as the darkness moved closer. She needed to hurry before it consumed them both. The woman turned to the light in front of her, tears flowing from her eyes and landing on the small child's cheek. Large violet eyes met her own pair, shining with the light of the flames and glistening with her own tears.

"It is alright, precious one." Her voice trembled in fear, the thought of separation eating at her heart. She brushed her fingers gently on the child's neck, a small magatama necklace forming under her fingertips. "As long as you wear this charm, I will always be by your side."

The small child cried out, but vanished before further objections could be made. Whatever energy the woman had left had vanished with her child. She turned to the other side of the castle courtyard, slowly making her way to the stone tombstone as the flames parted ways for her. They licked her kimono, threatening her life which they could not touch. Even as her power weakened they could not harm her, her barrier flashing to life with a slight wave of her hand. If nothing else, she would save this courtyard from destruction.

The woman sat against the stone tombstone, raising her head to the full moon that watched her. The glow from the red markings that covered her body began to fade, signalling how much time she had left.

"Milady!" She turned slightly to the noises. A man kneeled beside her, several more behind him, unsure of how to move. The older man wore pelts of wolves, his own tail flicking at the sight of her. "Milady, you…"

The woman smiled gently at him, reaching out a hand to welcome the tiny flea. "Myoga, you brought the wolf tribe to me."

"My lady, please don't move! You're too weak!"

She could see the concern in the wolf demons face as well. "Milady, we apologize for how long we made you wait. We came as soon as the flea told us your warning."

Shaking her head, she lowered her hand from exhaustion. "It is alright, Yorozoku. My fate was sealed long before this. My younger brother has always lusted after my power and my life." She flinched, the battle wounds finally taking their toll with the disappearance of her power. The woman had never before felt such pain, and yet it was impossible to breathe without hurting herself. "I am glad you both are here; I must leave you with my final wishes."

The tiny flea began to object, only to be silenced by a small swirl of light that leaked from her chest. A small soft pink orb shone through the light for a quick second before the light formed a wooden box around it. Similar markings as on her skin burnt into the wood as it floated towards the wolf demon who took it in his hands.

"Milady, was that…?" he questioned, eying the box no larger than his palm.

"Yes. What you saw was the Shikon Jewel, a power which I have kept pure for a long time now." In fact, the woman had taken it from a demon who had stolen the jewel after the priestess who created it passed on. She had kept it sealed within her own powers since. "Take it to the village of the slayers. Show them the markings, and they shall let you pass. Tell them only a human with spiritual powers may break my barrier and purify that jewel. They will understand."

She flinched again, clutching at her stomach. The white kimono she wore slowly turned red from her own blood. The wolf demon offered her the box. "Please milady, take it back. Use it to heal yourself!"

"He's right!" The flea agreed, jumping in his own panic. "I cannot stand to lose both you and the master at once!"

The woman gave a small chuckle. "Myoga," she started gently. "Inu Taisho and I owe you a great deal for your service, and I apologize for making you continue even after we pass on." The poor flea had long served both the Great Dog Demon and herself, never objecting to anything they asked of him. "Tell Totosai to seal my Tsumugari, in case my child was to return. I'm afraid I have no strength left, so please lead her in my stead."

They called for her, watching her light fade away. She found she could barely keep her eyes open, her body numb with pain.

"Myoga… my final wish to you…" Ignoring their cries, she gave in to her weak state and closed her eyes. "Tell Izayoi… tell her that her son _must_think my child is dead. If he seeks her before the time is right, she will die… Please… " Her voice trailed off into silence, her essence fading along with the light of the moon. Yorozoku's cry echoed through the night.

"Lady Amaterasu!"


	2. Thrown Into Chaos

**Chapter One:**

**Thrown Into Chaos**

"Please teach me how to live  
>a little more vulnerably than i do now<br>won't you taint me just a little?  
>That way, even if i get hurt<br>and lose everything around me  
>this song of truth will flow through my heart"<p>

_The small child ran as fast as his legs could carry him, the demons that cried out for his flesh only seconds behind. There was no one that would come to his rescue here. Even if his mother had been nearby, she would have been powerless; it was his own fault for not listening to her warning and wanting to explore._

_"Come here, little half breed!" One of the demons growled._

_His foot caught on a root and he fell in his panic, scrambling back to his feet before the demon's attack hit him. When he finally gained a few seconds on them, his progress halted at the end of his path. Before him lay a cliff with nowhere for him to run; he was trapped._

_Quickly, he climbed off the edge and hid under the cliff, concealed by the rocks shadow. The small boy held his breath and waited, hoping with all of his heart that they wouldn't find him._

_A younger voice called out to the demons, calling them names and gaining their attention. He waited and listened to the demons curse, swearing at an outside force he didn't know of. It soon fell silent, the night sounds returning to normal. The boy sniffed the air, noting that the stench of the demons was gone, replaced with a much sweeter scent. It reminded him of the blossoms that falls from his mother's plum tree in the spring._

_He began to climb back up the cliff, to find the source of the smell, when something appeared in front of his face. It startled him back into the shadows. A minute passed, and no harm had come to him; he opened his eyes slowly and looked at the source._

_His eyes met curious violet ones, the creature's light brown hair falling around her. It appeared to be a human girl, leaning over the cliff to peak at him. She blinked, tilting her head in interest._

_"It's okay, the bad ones are gone now." The boy wanted to believe her, but the scent and what he saw told her she wasn't human. Resting on her head he saw two animal ears much like his own, but twice the size. He watched them twitch towards him, her face brightening into a smile. "You smell like me!"_

Inuyasha shook the memory from his mind when Kagome called his name. It was a memory he didn't need, a painful one brought fresh to his mind with his situation. Hearing about the half demon Shiori had reminded him too much of himself. Even after killing the bat demons and leaving the girl behind him, moments from his childhood leaked into his mind.

"Yeah, yeah. I heard you." He grumbled when Kagome called him again, walking ahead of the group. With Kagome going back to her world for a few days, it gave him time to think alone.

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><p>Wait for me!"<p>

Her friends turned, returning her smile and waving her over to them. When she saw the extra member of the trio, she started to run, enthusiastically embracing the black haired girl she never got to see.

"Mina!" Kagome laughed, patting the grinning girl on the top of her head. This routine had always been awkward for them, her friend always slightly taller than her, but it was one they had created as children.

Eri and Yuka, two of Kagome's other friends, pulled Mina away by her signature ponytail. Kagome saw the unimpressed look on the girls face and smiled.

"Mina, don't forget Kagome's been sick." The last friend, Ayumi, cooed to try and calm her down. The four of them knew Mina could be eccentric when things didn't go her way, and the last thing they wanted was for her to sulk all day. There were only a handful of things that could bring her out of that slump. Kagome was the only one who knew the true nature of their friend, remembering the quiet girl who couldn't even remember her own name.

Kagome's mother had once told her Mina was found on their family shrine, wearing strange clothes and covered in blood. The girl had no memories of her life before, so Kagome's family had decided to take care of her until she was claimed. When no one had come, Kagome's mother was forced to give the child to a friend of hers. Kagome's father had passed, and it was not the time for them. Mina and Kagome remained close the years after.

Mina sighed, closing her brown eyes and walking ahead of the group. "Then I guess I'll have to treat everyone to ramen tonight!"

Kagome and her friends looked at each other, surprised by her words. "What's the occasion?"

"I'm not allowed to go home until later tonight," Mina turned to them, still managing to keep her pace. "It's my birthday, after all."

Later that day, when at the Ramen shop, Kagome brought the situation back up while she hand copied her friend's notes. Mina was always copying her notes twice for her sick friend, leaving some parts bare for Kagome to figure out the rest. Kagome owed a lot to her friend, the side notes she made explained things better than even their teachers ever did.

Seijiro and Yukiko were Mina's foster parents, and every year they held birthdays for their children for the day they were taken in instead of the day they were born. Mina had said in the past it was due to the fact her real birthday was unknown, and her younger brother Hiro followed suit.

"It's been that long already?" Kagome couldn't believe how fast time was passing by her, especially since hiding her trips to the feudal era.

"Yep!" Mina chimed in, taking a break from her noodles. She was very polite, but the enthusiasm she had when she ate reminded Kagome a lot of _him_. Kagome suddenly remembered where she should be and pushed it from her mind; she was already pushing the patience of the half dog demon by staying out as late as she was, so what was another hour?

"They were really nice to give me money to treat you guys, but I know it was to keep me away from the house. Hiro probably asked Yukiko-san to help him bake another cake." Mina laughed and turned to Kagome. "You remember last year, right?"

The memory sent shivers down Kagome's spine. Indeed her foster brother and tried to make a cake on his own, but what came out Kagome hadn't been sure it was even edible. Yukiko had apologized and offered a piece of bought cake, but Mina had taken a piece of it anyways to eat it. Kagome remembered Mina laughing and saying how it was the best cake she had ever tasted.

When the other girls pointed out the time, Kagome started to panic and scrambled to finish her notes while Mina offered to help her.

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><p>She hummed to herself as she hurried up the hill. It wasn't much further to her home, but she had still promised to return before the sun had set. Helping Kagome study had taken longer than expected; Mina could feel the warmth leaving her back and her path slowly engulfed in shadows. Small droplets landed on her face; she forgot it was supposed to rain that night.<p>

Her mind travelled to Kagome's strange behaviour, hoping that it was simply her friend needing rest. Mina felt like the two had been drifting apart in recent days. Kagome always seemed to be sick, but Mina could never tell whenever she got to see her. Even Kagome's grandfather, who had called Mina his second grand daughter in the past, would not let Mina visit her ill friend. Her time spent in the Higurashi household had completely come to a halt, and even spending time around her other friends didn't feel the same. She loved her foster family, there was just a feeling they didn't have that the Higurashi family did.

Mina would never tell Kagome, but she was feeling very lonely, even if it wasn't her friends fault.

Mina slowed her pace when her house came into view, unsure of what she was feeling. Something was wrong; her body froze at the door.

_Run!_A part of her mind screamed, but why did she need to run away from her own home? The lights on the second floor were on and the main floor lights were off. It should only mean they were inside preparing to jump out and surprise her, yet she remained unsure, frightened. Mina was so afraid to enter that it sent shivers down her spine.

"Hello?" she called softly when she finally had the courage to enter. Mina moved slowly, taking her first step in caution. Looking around the entrance and into the house, everything seemed fine. Even after taking off her shoes and entering the house, she still felt wrong, repeating to herself that she was only imagining it. Mina stepped into the hall, preparing to call out again.

It was as she approached the family room that it hit her, a force against her like a wall. Her movements were slow and her mind was in a panic; the vile stench of iron was so strong. Frantically she looked around, trying to find the source. One step further she felt something strange on her feet. She couldn't see what it was, only able to see the dark colour on the wood, but it was warm and felt sticky when she tried rubbing it off.

In horror, she realized it was blood.

Mina followed the dark trail. Her body was shaking as she turned into the family room. All she could make out were shapes in the darkness, a flash of movement at the back catching her attention. She tried calling out, but she couldn't make a sound. The shape moved again, turning to her, red eyes staring into hers. A flash of lightning and the scene before her became clear.

In front of her stood a monster, the top half human and the bottom half what appeared to be a snake. Its long black hair covered most of its face, wild eyes staring at her. The bodies around it were barely recognizable, and yet Mina knew exactly who they were as the tears fell from her eyes. She didn't even have the energy to scream.

"You have come, finally." The creature hissed, turning even closer to her. It took all of Mina's strength to step away from it. "These snacks do nothing; it is you I will devour, heir to the Ookami!"

_Run! _The creature lunged. 

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><p>"Hurry up, Kagome, we're already late."<p>

Kagome could tell how annoyed Inuyasha had been with her before she had even gotten home, the explanation of her friends going on deaf ears. Inuyasha had seemed slightly interested when she told him about the girl she had known most of her life, but he had also been packing for her while she talked.

"I said I was sorry!" Kagome pouted when he ignored her, walking ahead carrying most of her bags. It never surprised her when he was grumpy like this, though she never did like it.

Kagome started apologizing again, only to bump into him. Inuyasha had stopped, dropping the bags onto the floor. When Kagome asked him what was wrong, she noticed him sniffing the air.

"I smell a demon." He sniffed at the air again, unable to place the sweet smell hidden under the others. "It's mixed with the scent of human blood."

There was nothing more Kagome needed to hear to get them involved; in seconds she collected her bow and was on Inuyasha's back, heading to the source. She didn't understand why a demon was suddenly active, yet she didn't sense a shard from the Shikon Jewel. Normally the two always seemed connected to the other. Less than a moment later Inuyasha let her down at the base of a hill, telling her to stay behind him. Kagome's eyes followed the sidewalk they stood on up the small hill, recognizing the neighbourhood. They needed to kill the demon fast.

Inuyasha's ears perked forward, hearing the figure before it came into view. The figure was close enough for him to make out a girl no older than Kagome running towards them, the rain not yet strong enough to hide the scent of her blood. Kagome only noticed the girl when he could make out details; the girl's eyes were wide and brimming with fear, her hair loose and clinging to her face with the rain. He watched blood drip from her left arm, holding it with her right as she ran.

For a moment, Inuyasha was frozen as he saw the familiar girl, images flashing in his mind.

"Mina!" Kagome screamed, starting for the girl.

Inuyasha dragged himself from his mind to pull her back. "Idiot! The demon is –" the words barely made it out of his mouth when the demon came crashing through a building, jumping for the girl. He hurried to the girl, but right as he reached for her, their eyes met, and he was frozen once more.

Blood splattered across his face, the girl's dull and colourless eyes widening further. The demon's arm retracted from the girl's stomach as Inuyasha pulled her away.


End file.
